Oscars to have no host after Kevin Hart homophobic tweets

The film industry's biggest awards night on 24 February will instead have a variety of top stars to introduce different sections, according to US entertainment magazine Variety.

It will only change if a serious superstar can be found at the eleventh hour to host the ceremony.

The decision was made a month after US actor and comedian Kevin Hart stepped down as host of the Oscars after tweets he posted between 2009 and 2011 resurfaced, with offensive language towards the LGBT community.

He had only been announced as host of the 91st Academy Awards Ceremony at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre three days before.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had been considering allowing Hart to come back if he apologised for his actions during a sit-down with his friend, talkshow host Ellen DeGeneres.

However, the move backfired after he claimed to be a victim of internet trolls and "haters" instead of the one who wrote the remarks.

The Academy was also reportedly angry with DeGeneres for allegedly misleading viewers about a conversation she had with an anonymous Academy official about having Hart reinstated.

She implied they wanted Hart back, no matter what.

Hart refused to apologise, saying he "chose to pass" as he has "addressed this several times before".

The comedian himself confirmed he would definitely not be hosting, telling Good Morning America: "I'm not hosting the Oscars this year."

On 7 January he got himself into even hotter water when he said on a radio show it was not his "life's dream" to be an ally of the queer community.

The Oscars has only gone without a single host once before, in 1989 when actor Rob Lowe performed a duet with Snow White - which he is reportedly still embarrassed about.